Braidwood Library
Braidwood has always been a book town. The literary activities of its residents are catalogued in the Braidwood Library, where shelving is given over to the work of poets, historians, novelists and non-fiction writers in the area. But it’s the library itself that stands as the most enduring testament to early residents’ pursuit of literacy, news, and culture.
Founded in 1858, the library began as a subscription library, with eight founding members paying a guinea a year in fees. Books were donated from private libraries, as well as purchased by mail order, both in Australia and from London. Popular magazines and newspapers rounded out the library’s contents.
After a dedicated building was completed in 1869, with funds coming from a bank loan, government grant, and fundraising raffle (with prizes including a buggy, buggy harness, sewing machine, and gold watch), the library became known as the Braidwood Literary Society and Reading Room (with a hall used for occasional roller-skating). When extra rooms were built on, they became occupied by the municipal council, from which QPRC still operates.
By 1907, the library contained 7000 books; admitted female members (though they could only borrow one book at a time); employed a female librarian; hosted debates, chess games, and choral classes; and held a Lipp grand piano, to be played ‘only by competent musicians’. Billiard tables and silent movies soon followed, and from 1914–18 the institute’s hall was given over – for free – to patriotic endeavours.
In 1958, the directors of the Literary Institute gave the passed the building over to the State Government due to its decline in use, and shifted to the ‘Old Library’ in Park Lane. Finally, in 1989, a new and dedicated building was adjoined to the original Literary Institute, accessible both from the original doors and via a ramp, with modern and accessible bathroom facilities and a dedicated children’s reading area.
Though forced to close its doors during the pandemic, the service still found a way to meet community needs, with intrepid librarians hand-delivering books around town.
What’s on at the library at the moment that you’re enjoying being part of?
Wednesdays at 10am we run Story Time, which is for preschool ages, and that’s normally two to three stories read, and a couple of songs if Kirsten’s running it. If I’m running it, there is no singing. [Laughs.] Then, after the stories, we do a craft, and we try to base it around cultural events, or special days or months. Currently it’s Save the Koala Month, so, for example, we did koala stories and a little koala climber craft thing.
We also have STEAM [Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics] activities on a more ad hoc basis – we have a geology project today where kids carve away a rock to find a fossil. We also run holiday programs, to include a broader age range. We have movie time, crafts – we make slime – we might make catapults, which sounds really dangerous – we do cool stuff like that, or a big community collage that will decorate the library.
I’ve also proposed a Tech Help, primarily focussed towards older members of the community, which I’ll be running, as everything seems to be a QR code these days.
What will that look like?
We don’t have a start date yet, but I’ll be keeping myself free for a couple of hours every fortnight, so that you can just drop in and I can show people how to use whatever device they bring in. And if I don’t know the device, I’ll figure it out.
And we do that every day, anyway. Generally speaking, we’re happy to help customers with the public computers that we have here – they’re free to use – and if people aren’t comfortable with them, I’m happy to sit down and support them through the process.
We’re like the print house here: everyone comes to scan and print and laminate. So we even have those resources for the community here.
I know that a lot of people in town have identified the need for hotdesking areas as well. Is there a space that people can book?
We have a meeting room out the back, and that’s free to book for the community. That’s got a dining table and six chairs, and it does get used by people who work from home sometimes who need to work with a group or something – they just jump in there. And case workers and case managers somethings meet their clients there.
Can you bring coffee in?
Of course! Am I meant to say ‘of course’?
I don’t know!
[Laughs] Look, there’s no sign here that says No Food or Drink. We have a water dispenser here, so you can bring your coffee. Absolutely. You can even eat snacks.
(02) 4842 2091
144 Wallace St, Braidwood NSW 2622.
Access via the Council building, or from Park Lane.
Words: Jessica Friedmann
Photos: Christopher Morris